New York City to go "green" in 2008

New legislation slated to take affect January 1, 2008, will push New York City agencies to purchase or lease environmentally friendly electronic products. A Director of Environmental Purchasing will establish and implement standards across city agencies. The Director will have the power to set the limits on the amounts of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers electronic devices can contain.

The Director will take into account the limits set by the Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, as well as any subsequent material directive issued by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. The New York City laws also contain specific provisions about energy efficiency and end-of-life reuse and recycling. A plan for reuse and recycling must be in place by the 2008 deadline.